Rehabilitation
by The Lonely King
Summary: When the Doctor manages to save the Master from being time locked during EoT, he isn't quite sure what to do with him. So, he hands him over to UNIT for Rehabilitation. But what happens when a certain undying captain has different ideas? *Finished*
1. Chapter 1

A/N This my very first fanfiction, so please be kind. Flames will be completely ignored. However, if you wish to leave a suggestion or constructive criticism, I would appreciate it more than anything.

**Chapter 1**

I can almost see the planet of Gallifrey in my mind's eye. It's beautiful. Oftentimes, I would find myself sitting in a field of tall, red grass, staring up at the sky. The sky is burnt orange and I am under the shade of a tall tree with silver leaves, watching the twin suns set on the horizon. The breeze is cool, coming down from the snowcapped slopes of Mount Perdition. I pull up a few blades and chew on them, trying to remember the taste of the planet. The texture. I close my eyes and sigh, watching the imaginary patterns dance across my vision. I listen to the wind and lie down, fingers laced behind my head.

Then, I snap back to reality. The Drums dominate my mind again and I am facing the Doctor. He has a little revolver pointed at my face, but I already know he won't do it. Rassilon realizes this too and he also realizes that he's lost. He knows the Doctor's need to save the Universe and my need for revenge outweigh the wants of our home planet. Even if Gallifrey returns, it wouldn't be the same. The small, singular sun in the sky is not enough to support Gallifrey. Gallifrey is so much larger. Our planet would freeze in days and we would all die. Rassilon's talk of 'ascension' is nothing but the mad rambling of an old man who's afraid to die.

I feel so betrayed. My own people used me as a link to this universe because they knew they'd get time locked. They knew they would suffer for their crimes during the war and used me as a way to escape that punishment—punishing me instead. It wasn't fair. My people were once peaceful to the point of indolence. Now, they expected me to assist them in their ridiculous destruction of the universe for _hope _that they would 'ascend' and live forever. The Doctor wouldn't allow it and as I glimpsed Gallifrey in my mind for the last time, I knew… neither would I.

"Get out of the way," the Doctor says quietly. I move just in time to dodge the bullet that hits the last White Point Star. The connection breaks and so do I. Suddenly, everything is clear and logical. My mind is no longer crowded by the Drums and I finally understand. The Signal was used not only as a link to this world, but a message system to my mind. Lord President had used it as a way to send me orders. _Destroy planet Earth. Bring us back. Dominate the Universe like a true Time Lord should. _As the Doctor turns to Rassilon and tells him to return back to the time lock—back to hell, I see exactly how this should play out. Only one of us is meant to survive this and isn't me. I spent my whole life trying rule the universe, and now all I wanted to do was take revenge. I am the infamous child and I will live up to my reputation. My bones filled with rage and my life source crackled between my fingers, emitting a blue light. I'm so tired, but I have just enough energy for this. The Doctor thinks he's going to die and leave me on this planet where I am nothing but a criminal. The Doctor is about to be _very _disappointed. I take a deep breath and rub my hands together, focusing my energy.

"Get out of the way," I tell the Doctor, looking directly into his eyes for the first time in centuries. And in that moment, our minds connect. He realizes my intention and seems about to protest, then closes his mouth and nods. The Doctor soothes and calms me through our connection so that I have the strength to do what needs to be done. I hear his voice.

**-Don't leave me, Koschei. I don't want to be alone again.-**

I don't respond at first, but I understand what I did not when I last died. The Doctor had his companions—human companions. They looked like us and that was all that really mattered. He didn't want to be alone; he didn't trust himself to be alone. The one period of time he'd let himself be alone, he'd gone too far and brought about his own demise. He wanted me because I would not wither and die and cause him so much pain, like the humans. The Doctor is tired of losing people. I am simply tired of losing. I want to win for once, and the only way to do that is to sacrifice myself for my old friend. I give him hope because I know he'll fall for it.

**-If you can save me, Theta, I will stay.-**

The Doctor nods and with that, I step forward and fire my life energy directly at the President. I fire all of my rage, despair, and madness into Rassilon's hearts. I scream.

"YOU DID THIS TO ME!" I fire again, harder. "ALL OF MY LIFE!" He staggers and leans helplessly on his staff as the other members of the council stand by, horrified. "ONE!" I fire again. "TWO!" Again. Golden energy leaks from his being, but I fire again before he can regenerate. The Lord President, Rassilon, has lived too long. "THREE!" The energy stops and he looks utterly shocked as his regeneration is halted. "FOUR!" The last hit is all I have left and as Rassilon dies, I see him swallowed up by a magnificent light. For me, however, a magnificent darkness swallows me and I am gone.

I can hear a sound beyond that darkness. The Doctor calling to me. He presses his fingertips against my temples. I want to open my eyes, but I can't. I am dying.

"D-Doctor?" I manage.

"You'll be fine, Koschei," he says in Gallifreyan. "Sleep now."

Hi guys! So, what do you think? This is just a prologue... kind of. But I have another chapter that's about to come up soon. Please read and review because it makes my day brighter! Thanks!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N Chapter 2! I know, I posted this right after the prologue, but it needed to be done. I hate leaving epilogues without at least putting another chapter after it.

**Chapter 2 **

"Master…" I hear in my empty head. "Master… come on, come back to me, old friend."

My head swims somewhat as I try to open my eyes. Light filters through and I shut them again and groan. I assess the damage. The Drums are gone, completely. What am I without the Drums? An average renegade Time Lord. I could have sworn I was dying, but I'm not. Keeping my eyes shut, I tense each muscle in my body, testing its strength. I haven't regenerated, but my body is much stronger now. I feel… good as new. But not entirely new. How can this be? Is this even… real?

**-It's real, Master- **

I cringe and mumble, "Don't… Don't call me that."

-**It's real… Koschei- **

I smile and finally drag up the courage to open my eyes. I sit up and my head swims again. The world tilts and I feel a hand on my back. I look into the Doctor's eyes and for the first time, I fail to understand this situation. How did I escape the time lock? I was standing so close.

**-I saved you.- **

Of course he did. He's the Doctor. He saves everyone, no matter what the consequences are. I look around and find that I'm in the sick bay of the TARDIS. I can feel her mental hum of approval of my presence, for once. I reach out to the TARDIS and she gives me the feeling of forgiveness. She understood better than anyone that I'd had no choice when I'd turned into a Paradox Machine. I sighed happily and pulled away from her, turning to the Doctor. He seemed to be wary of me, wondering what I'd do next. So, I surprised him. I lunged forward and wrapped my arms around him. It was all I could do to stop myself from weeping.

"Theta…" I whispered in Old Gallifreyan. "Th-thank you."

"I… I did everything I could, Mas—Koschei…" he said into my shoulder. "I tried to force you to regenerate because your body was dying, but something went wrong. The artron energy healed you, but you're still in the same body. I really tried, I'm sorry… I'm so sorr—"

"Shut up," I said, gripping the back of his jacket and burying my face his shoulder. "Just shut up. You have nothing to be sorry for." The Doctor sniffed and pulled away from me. I tried to look at him, but he looked away.

"I do…" he said, lapsing back into English. "I have so much more to be sorry for than you could ever imagine, Master. Because now, I am about to become the most cruel being in this Universe."

"What do you mean?" I asked, responding accordingly. Suddenly the door to the sick bay slammed open and five UNIT soldiers burst into the room. They were unarmed, but one of them was carrying handcuffs. The Doctor stood and walked back a few paces to make room for them. I looked at him, confused as to why he would let them take me. "Wha-what's going on? Doctor?" He looked away from me and his expression turned to stone.

"I can't be sure you're completely alright again, Master," he said coldly. "And I'm afraid I don't have the resources to help you if you aren't."

"What are you talking about?" I snapped, resisting the men as they grabbed my arms and forced me to stand. "You said you could help! You promised!" My hearts broke as I heard the final click of the handcuffs. He really was going to let them take me. Didn't he realize how cruel they would be to me? Didn't _he _realize that it really was the Drums that had controlled me? As the UNIT soldiers took me away, I realized he didn't have that much faith anymore. He once had so much mercy, but it had gone on too long. I let my head hang in shame and I let him see just how broken I was because of this betrayal.

"Kui'la, Koschei," he called to me in Gallifreyan.

"I love you too, Theta," I said, for the first time since my coronation. "I love you more than anything in this universe."

He looked up, completely shocked. I let a tear slide down my cheeks. Just before the doors to the sick bay shut, I saw the Doctor step forward as if to stop the men dragging me away.

The UNIT soldiers blindfolded me and led me out of the TARDIS. I already knew where we were headed, but I didn't tell them that. They would just knock me out or beat me or offer up some cruel insult that I was far too sensitive to hear at the moment. When had I become so sensitive? I don't remember being this way before my coronation. Perhaps it was because of everything I'd suffered. The Drums had eliminated any trace of a conscience I'd had, but now, the memories of all the lives I'd taken rushed to the front of my mind. It hurt. I staggered from the pain and felt one of the soldiers push me forward.

"Move it, alien scum!" he snapped. I pushed the memories back into my mind and focused on the steady tap of their boots against the linoleum. Left, right, left. Left, right, left. I didn't dare count in that godforsaken rhythm of four. The memories receded momentarily.

I felt myself being pushed forward and stumbled again, landing on the floor. I would have caught myself if my hands hadn't been cuffed behind me. My face hit the floor with a sickening smack and I groaned a little. The soldiers insulted me a few more times, said something about a General coming to see me and I'd better behave or they'd come back and beat me till I'm half dead, and left. I curled into a ball and wept silently. I wasn't weeping because I didn't think I deserved this, because I did. I was weeping for Gallifrey and the Senators' stupidity. I wept for all the lives I'd taken and destroyed. I wept for the Doctor. I wept for his companions: Martha Jones, Captain Jack Harkness, The Jones family. I wept for Lucy Saxon and felt a sense of pride when I thought of her. She'd done the right thing by killing me—twice. When I think about her now, I feel ashamed that she'd died. She was so brave; such a wonderful, curious little human. Any ordinary man would have been lucky to have her and I had treated her like a chess piece in a game against the Doctor and the human race. An expendable chess piece.

I sensed the General before I heard him exit the lift at the end of the hall. A smile crept across my face as I realized what he was. Perhaps he could keep me safe here. Maybe… just maybe, I'd be saved from the cruelty of these humans who so badly wanted to punish me for my crimes. Maybe… maybe not.

"Master," he said. His voice was a deep baritone. He unlocked the cell and walked in, locking it behind him.

"General," I replied sarcastically. He took off the handcuffs and the blindfold and helped me up onto the bed in the corner. I looked around my cell. One toilet, one sink, a desk and a chair. I assumed the desk contained some writing utensils and paper. The General pulled the chair over and sat in front of me. He examined my face and body for several minutes. I examined him as well. He appeared to be about six feet tall, Caucasian, broad shouldered, high cheekbones. His hair was dark, short and curly and he sat up perfectly straight—like I assumed a soldier should. After far too much time had passed, I became irritated. I never liked being stared at. "Yes?" He smiled.

"This…simply won't do," he said, tilting his head to the side.

"What?"

"Your appearance," he replied. "But we'll deal with that after your _treatment_." I raised a brow in inquiry. "Yes, you will undergo treatment for rehabilitation. You will take part in shock treatment, MRI and CT scans, physical and mental exercises, and various tests centered on your conscience and integrity." I frowned. That last part hadn't made sense. I'd expected the torture—er, shock treatment and 'exercises', but what had he meant by the last? I asked him. He smiled.

"You will see a psychologist every week," he said. "Each week, you will be asked to recall your crimes and you will be judged on your reaction." I swallowed thickly. They couldn't make me do that, could they? I could just… you know… refuse to speak. I was already trying my hardest not to remember every little detail. If I did that… I'd break. "If you refuse to participate in your treatment, you will only remain here longer and your _treatment_ will only get worse. The Doctor has provided us with a means of getting information out of you… though, as I'm sure you know by now, I won't need it."

Suddenly, I couldn't breathe. My hands began to shake at my sides and my hearts rate jacked. Was this fear? Am I… afraid? My brain fumbled to come up with a response.

"I—you can't," I whispered.

"I can, Master, and I will," the General answered, his sick grin growing wider. A lump formed in my throat and tears stung my eyes and threatened to spill over.

"Please…" I begged. "I am begging you, please don't make me do that. You can do anything else you want to me, but don't make me do that. It would destroy me." I was being perfectly honest and the General seemed surprised. He hesitated with his next response.

"If you want the Doctor to believe that you have truly changed, you must," he implored, standing. Before leaving the cell, he said something to me in Gallifreyan. "I know, Master."

My mind flooded.

A/N Rate and Review please. 3

TLK


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thank you Mabudachi-trio for reviewing. It means a lot to me. :D To answer your question, no it will not time skip to him being back with the Doctor because it's about the Master recovering from his previous… issues. You'll see in this chapter why. His recovery will be about one or two chapters after this one. Then, things will get very interesting. And you're absolutely right. The Doctor **_**does **_**have his reasons. ;)**

Chapter 3

Captain Jack Harkness stands in the General's office, wringing his hands together. He doesn't quite know how he feels about this whole thing. He'd heard from Martha that UNIT had somehow acquired the Master and that they were keeping him for rehabilitation. Jack was immediately repelled by this idea. He knew what UNIT would do to the Master and was against it. His reasoning was that if UNIT treated the Master like the criminal he was, the Time Lord would only learn to hate humans as he had before. Jack understood that it had been the Drums that were controlling him so completely. He didn't care if the Doctor didn't understand. Jack Harkness had witnessed the Master in his most vulnerable moment:

_Jack jerks awake again and is greeted happily by the Master. The Master had just killed him again—stabbing him through the chest with a javelin. Jack was glad that he was the only person on the Valiant that could make the Master so angry by his body's unwillingness to change. The Master liked results, not the same old thing. So, when Jack awoke again, he was afraid and smug at the same time. _

"_You can kill me however you like, Master," he sighed. "Nothing you do will affect me any differently."_

"_Don't you think I know that, FREAK!" the Master shouted. "Maybe I just like killing you!" Jack shook his head._

"_I've come to know you over the last year, Master," he replied calmly. "You are a man who likes results. You hurt the Doctor's friends because you know how much it hurts him. You've basically destroyed the planet because you know how many people's lives you're messing up. But me? You and I both know that nothing you can do will change me in any way. I've witnessed too much death and survived. You could kill everyone around me—everyone special to me and I will always remain the same. I am a constantly moving object in space with nothing in my way. That pisses you off, doesn't it?" Jack looked directly into the Master's eyes._

"_Get out," the Master ordered, eyes never leaving Jack's. The soldiers surrounding him immediately exited the room, leaving the Master and Jack Harkness alone. The Master stepped slowly towards Jack, until their faces were only inches apart. "You think you understand me, don't you?" Jack simply nodded. "You don't understand me at all… You don't know what this is like. To be constantly suffering and ignored by the only man who can help. You don't understand what it's like to feel the one man that's important to you turn his back to you to save some stupid bunch of underdeveloped monkeys."_

"_You're right," Jack said, softly. "But I know what it's like to be constantly tortured by life when all you want to do is die. Because there's that constant sound in your head, reminding you than in retrospect, everyone else means nothing. Everyone else except for that one person…"_

"_The Doctor," the Master whispered. Jack nodded. The Master's expression fell for a moment. "Do you think…" he hesitated. "Do you think that… if I were to stop all this and just go with him… that he would be able to help?" _

"_I'm sure of it," Jack said. "He's the Doctor. It's his job to help. If he's not helping his own kind, what good is he really to anyone else?" The Master seemed to consider this for moment. For that moment, Jack thought he'd finally broken through to him. There was hope in the man's eyes that Jack had never seen before. But that hope disappeared as quickly as it came and Jack knew that the Drums had dominated his mind again. _

"_The Drums, Jack?" Master mumbled. "Can you hear them?" Jack wanted to cry, but he simply shook his head. The Master laughed maniacally and stepped away, looking insane and frightened. "I can't. I have to do this! Don't you understand? _THE DRUMS WON'T STOP UNLESS I DO WHAT THEY WANT_!" And with that, the Master shot Jack in the head, and darkness enveloped him once more. _

Jack had understood exactly why the Master was doing what he was doing. All he'd wanted was to stop the Drums. Now that they were finally gone, Jack thought he had a chance to persuade the Master that life could be so great. He wanted to show the Master how brilliant he could be, now that he could think clearly. They had had many encounters like the one he remembered, but they had all ended the same. Jack hoped that now that the Drums weren't interfering, he could take the Master away and turn him into a good person. He didn't know what drove him to do it, but he knew it was the right thing.

Jack's train of thought was interrupted as the General finally appeared in his office. He gestured for Jack sit down. Jack sat. The General sat behind his desk and studied Jack's face for a moment.

"Why are you here, Captain?" he asked.

"I'm here for _him_," Jack said, determinedly.

"The Doctor?" the General scoffed. "You know how hard it is to find him. He could be anywhere else in the universe right n—"

"Don't play dumb, General," Jack snapped. "You know exactly who I mean."

The General sat back and folded his arms over his chest. "And what makes you think I should just hand him over to you? Have you even seen him? He only just got here three days ago."

"Have you been monitoring him for any sign of change?"

"No, actually," the General admitted. "We're giving him time to adjust to his new environment. We're going to see what he does with his free time."

"You mean you left a man—Time Lord—whatever trapped in a room to _think _about what he's done wrong?" Jack growled. "Like a child?"

"Yes," the General said, simply. "We're waiting to see signs of remorse."

"But you're not monitoring him."

"That's right."

"I want to see him."

"Fine," sighed the General, standing. He gestured for Jack to follow him. They walked down the hall and into a lift. The General shoved a key a slot marked 'Basement'. Jack tried not to become angry as he imagined what the Master's living conditions must be like. He shook his head and tried to focus. They'd gone twelve floors underground by the time the lift stopped. As the door opened, their ears were assaulted by a terrible, blood curdling scream. They jogged down the hall to find the Master crouched on the floor, hugging his knees and beating his head in a slow rhythm of four. His cell was littered with hundreds of pieces of paper. Upon further inspection, Jack noticed that all of the papers had the same thing written on them in bold scribbled letters.

**I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I'M SORRY**

Jack's heart broke and he stood there, paralyzed as he heard what the Master was saying.

"The Drums… Bring them back… One… two… three… four… please… I can't… not without him… not without them… one… two… three… four… come on… WORK!" The last he screamed through clenched teeth and the Master beat at his own head harder. Jack realized he was bleeding. It stained his bleached white hair. The Master's nails were bloody and broken and the same words were scratched into the wall and on the bed and on the desk. Everywhere. Jack swallowed thickly and looked to the General, who was also looking particularly shocked. Jack Harkness became angry.

"YOU BASTARD!" Jack grabbed the General by the front of his coat. "You left him here all alone to suffer with the memories of what he'd done! You never ONCE checked up on him! How long do you think it's been since he slept? Eaten? For Christ's sake! You wonder why he hates us!"

"He… Time Lords can go for a week without food…" the General whispered, not taking his eyes off the mess in the cell. "I mean… I thought three days… I thought it would drive him crazy, but not like this. I just thought he'd get bored and try to escape or something…" Jack pulled the General closer and forced the man to look him in the eye. He spoke carefully and quietly.

"You are going to give me the key to his cell," he said. General nodded, handing him the key. "You are going to let me get him out of this place so he can recover properly." Nod. "You will walk away right now and pretend you knew nothing about this." Nod.

The General walked away, staggering slightly as he climbed weakly into the elevator. Jack unlocked the door to the cell and walked in, shutting it carefully behind him. The door shut with a resounding a click that seemed to snap the Master out of his insanity. The Master looked up and cried out, falling back away from the Captain.

"No!" he screamed. "Please! Don't hurt me! I'm sorry! I swear!" Jack reached out and ignored the violent wince that the Master gave. He placed his hand on the Master's shoulder and the other under his chin. The Master whimpered and as Jack looked closer, he realized that the Master's face was covered in tears and snot. Jack took out a small handkerchief and wiped the Master's face for him. The Master was sobbing quietly.

"Please…" he begged.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Master," Jack whispered. "Look at me." The Master looked at him, fear filling his eyes. "I'm here to help you. I'm going to take you away from here so you can… rehabilitate properly."

"But… I killed you…" the Master whimpered. "How can you forgive me? I killed you so many times. I'm so sorry."

"Master, look at my face," Jack said, growing slightly impatient. He wasn't used to this new, weak Master. "Remember what I told you back on the Valiant. I understand you. I knew it wasn't your fault. It was the Drums."

"The Drums?" the Master breathed. "Can you bring them back?" Jack shook his head. The Master's face fell.

"I would never bring them back, Master," Jack said. "This pain that you're feeling will lessen soon. It will always be there, but you can't expect it go away. The things that you did… they weren't your fault. They were _his _fault. Whoever created the Signal and told you what to do. You told me. Remember that day." Comprehension crossed the Master's face and a glimmer hope showed in his eyes.

"Can you help me, Jack?" the Master asked. "Can you really help me? You won't… you won't… leave me… like the Doctor?" Jack was confused.

"What do you mean?"

"The Doctor… he sent me here… he said he couldn't—couldn't help me," the Master admitted, hanging his head. Jack felt a new wave of anger and determination wash over him.

"Yes," he said. "I _will _help. I won't abandon you. Just come with me."

The Master looked up. He was tired now and Jack thought he would have to carry him out of here. Suddenly, the alarm went off, filling the cell with a loud screeching sound. The Master panicked and held on to Jack. Jack opened his Time Vortex Manipulator turned Teleportation Device and they were gone long before the UNIT soldiers made their way in.

**A/N: If those of you who've made it this far, thanks so much for reading! I'm hoping this fic will be about 15 chapters long. Updates will hopefully be frequent because I've already got a few of the next chapters written down. I just have to get them on my computer. Reviews are very much appreciated!**

**-The Lonely King**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Oh my gosh, thank you to Mabudachi-trio and Mysterious Strangee for your reviews! You get a new chapter ahead of time for that! I'm really glad that you like this story. It just sort of popped into my head and it sounded great. As for the Doctor's opinion on all of this… well… ;)**

**Oh! And because I didn't do this at first, I own none of these characters [except for The General]. They all belong to BBC and the other creators of Doctor Who and Torchwood. **

Chapter 4

The General sat in his office, dreading the moment the Doctor would come storming into his office. He dreaded the sound of the TARDIS in his hallway. He knew damn well that the Doctor wouldn't agree, but what else could he possibly have done? Jack Harkness would have either taken the Master willingly, or by force—he'd seen it in the Captain's eyes. He hadn't really felt good about all this in the first place. The General pitied the Master because even during The Year, he had known about Rassilon's plans. That had been one of the reasons he'd abandoned Time Lord/Gallifreyan society. When he'd found out that the Master was being used, he'd taken his TARDIS and left, hiding on the one planet his co-workers would never find him. He'd planned on apologizing to the Master at some point, but now…

The General shook his head, clearing regretful thoughts. If there was one thing the General had learned while living with the humans, it was that regret would only eat you alive over the years. It was best that he did what he could now to make up for his part in the Master's fate. He'd been the one to manipulate the Time Vortex enough to pound Rassilon's orders into the Master's head. He thought that it had been because they were trying to fix the young Time Lord, not use him as an escape for crimes committed in the future.

The Master had been a sociopathic little boy on Gallifrey. He had witnessed young Koschei creating programs to break into Gallifreyan databases and making small changes in the law. He had witnessed Koschei ignore everyone—even his family; only paying attention the little boy who followed after him all the time. Theta, currently known as the Doctor. Koschei had been diagnosed as a sociopath at a young age. He was rude to his teachers and even more so to his fellow classmates, declaring himself as the only intelligent being on 'this godforsaken planet'. Koschei treated everyone like they were less than he was and cared for no one, watching as people that were supposed to be his friends were hurt by others without even blinking. He had so much ambition and he could have been so wonderful. He had hated the Time Lords, but became one because he thought he could change things. He wanted them to interfere and rule the universe as gods, fixing things he believed were wrong with societies. Koschei had spent all of his time coming up with rules and reasons. It drove him mad and everyone made fun of him for it. Koschei became angry and lashed out at anyone who wouldn't respond as well as everyone who would. He had been sent to Solitary multiple times for extended periods and emerged cold and uncaring. The only one that stayed by his side was little Theta. A slight, skinny boy with intelligence levels way beyond the norm. The General knew—he'd tested Theta himself. Theta was simply lazy and wanted to travel the universe. They had both let their hair grow long until it touched their shoulders. They remained in their dormitory huddled over little projects and inventions. They were inseparable and Koschei would go mad in Solitary if Theta wasn't there with him. He would scream and throw things and eventually not eat or speak for days. Koschei would huddle in a corner and talk to himself as if someone else was actually there. He would laugh at stupid ideas or nod in agreement with himself. The General suspected that he had developed a dissociative disorder when the behavior didn't stop outside of Solitary. Other people suspected they—Theta and Koschei—had some sort of… inappropriate relationship. When that rumor went around, the two were alienated even more. They were bullied viciously. A group of young boys would torment them and break their inventions, claiming that they didn't deserve to be alive. Koschei would break down and become unresponsive (talking to himself or repeating the same phrase over and over), Theta being the only one who could coax him out of such a state.

So, it was with surprise that the General had found Theta in his office, standing strong and admitting to beating one of the boys to death with a brick. Apparently, the other young man had hit Koschei and made his nose bleed. Theta claimed to have seen red after that, but he was absolutely sure that it would never happen again. Everyone feared the duo after that. Rassilon had said that Theta was a good kid, generally, and that Koschei's hate for the Gallifreyan race had rubbed off on him. That was when he'd come to the General with a Signal that he was to thread through the Time Vortex and into the Master's mind. It was supposed to be to calm him whenever he had a breakdown or became too angry. Obviously, that was a lie. The General became so angry when he'd found out, he'd hit Rassilon in the nose, calling him a cruel, foolish old man. He'd left shortly after a bounty had been placed on his head.

The General sighed and rubbed his hands over his face. This was not going to be good. The feeling of dread swelled in his stomach until he could no longer remain sitting. He made a few phone calls, closed a few files, and stood to pace around his office. He wondered how Jack would help the Master. The Master was in a fragile state at the moment, and the usual tactics wouldn't work. What if he turned into that little boy who broke down without his friend again? What if Jack became that friend? What would the Doctor do when he returned?

So many thoughts ran around the General's mind that he didn't actually hear the TARDIS materializing outside his office. He jumped a bit when the Doctor burst into his office, looking worried and enraged at the same time.

"Where is he!" the Doctor screamed, storming right up to the General's face. The General tried to look innocent.

"Where is… who?" he asked, eyeing the Doctor carefully. He knew that this man was more dangerous than the Master could ever hope to be. The Doctor grabbed the General by the front of his shirt and pulled him close, growling.

"You know exactly who I'm talking about."

The General took a deep breath and grabbed the younger Time Lord's fists, slowly and carefully removing his hands. He pointed to the chair behind him. The Doctor sat, legs bouncing off the floor sporadically. His fists clenched and unclenched. It was an exercise they had done in the General's office back on Gallifrey. The General would sit behind his desk and watch Theta slowly calm himself down. After about a half hour, the Doctor sat back in his chair and took a deep breath. The General nodded and stood, pulling a sonic screwdriver out of his coat pocket. He walked around the room and pointed the device at several spots in the room. His higher-ups had thought it would be a good idea to monitor his office because they knew he had private conversations with the Doctor. Normally, the Doctor would visit to talk about things he'd done or failed to do. This time the intruding devices weren't necessary or appropriate. He cut them all off and sat back down at his desk. He waited several minutes before speaking.

"To be honest, Doctor," he began. "I do not know where the Master is right now or what is being done to him." They stared into each other's eyes and the Doctor sighed, sagging in his seat a little. He rubbed his face.

"I believe you, General," said the Doctor. "Do you know who he's with?"

"Jack Harkness."

The Doctor looked surprised. "Why?" The General licked his lips, considering his words carefully.

"Jack Harkness… believes that the methods by which we at UNIT will use on the Master would only have negative effects on him. Jack thinks that by simply showing the Master everything he destroyed would help him."

"Oh," the Doctor said dryly.

"He thinks that by seeing everything he's done, he'll understand why you left him here with us," the General added. It was not spoken without a slight hint of malice.

"It was for his own good!" the Doctor snapped. "There's nothing I can do!" The General leaned forward.

"What happened to just seeing the world, Doctor?" he said. "That's what you told him. You said it's enough to just see the universe to see how wonderful it is. Surely, you can see that the Master's changed completely. What happened to your brilliance, young man?" The Doctor scoffed.

"I'm not nearly as brilliant as I pretend to be," he grumbled. "If I was, I could have stopped this from happening in the first place." The General became impatient. The Doctor was constantly blaming himself for these things that happened.

"You have to stop feeling guilty, Doctor," he determined. "None of this was your fault. What happened to Koschei was a fixed point in time. Neither of us could do anything once that program—"

"NO!" roared the Doctor, standing and slamming his hands on the desk. "I could have stopped it! I _tried_ to stop it! I could have prevented all of this!"

"It was Rassilon's fault, Theta, not yours," the General whispered, staring up at the Doctor calmly. The Doctor seemed to break instantly and collapsed into the chair.

"It's all my fault, General, don't you see?" he whispered. "I'm responsible for this… because… …."

"What?" the General exclaimed, looking horrified.

"How can I face him, General? How can I face him when I was the one who created the Signal?"

**A/N: Thanks for reading! A few things:**

**In this fic, it's understood that the General served as Theta's guidance counselor in school, as he would often become angry with himself and others. Especially after the incident with the bully. I also wanted to make this chapter longer, but I needed the cliff hanger. XD Reviews are always appreciated! **

**-The Lonely King **


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Chapter 5! Finally. It took me forever to write this up. Thanks to TimeSpaceandMe and Mabudachi-trio for reviewing. I'm glad you guys are reading. It does more than you know for my self-esteem. 3 Enjoy chapter 5! **

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><p>Chapter 5<p>

"Master? Master, wake up!"

I groaned a little, batting at the hand that was currently shaking my shoulder. I must have fallen asleep. Riding in vehicles always made me sleepy if I wasn't the one operating it and it was a long trip from London to Cardiff. It had been a dreamless sleep, or if it was I couldn't remember. We had teleported out of my cell and to the car outside UNIT. My head was hurting a little, but I couldn't remember what had happened after that. I could recall little things like groggily telling Jack to slow down or he'd kill us. I opened my eyes to meet Jack's blue ones. A pang of guilt stabbed me in my left heart when I realized how caring he seemed to be. His eyes lit up and he smiled. Now, my right heart was hurting.

"Hey," he said softly. "We're at the Hub, now." I looked around and realized that we really _were _in the Hub of Torchwood 3. How long had I been out? Had he really carried me in here? I was sitting in a chair in what I assumed to be his office. He walked around his desk and sat down, lacing his fingers together in front of him. "How do you feel?" I shrugged.

"Not as bad as I could be," I mumbled. "And I could definitely be much worse…" He shook his head and laughed, accepting that answer as the only one he could get—and it was. Then he became very serious.

"Alright, listen," he said. "My team will be here in a few minutes. They've never met a Time Lord, but once they see you, they'll recognize you as Harold Saxon: The man who went mad trying to take over the world. They'll try to arrest you or turn you in. What do you propose we do about that?" I shrugged.

"Uhm… change my appearance?" I replied. Jack nodded and held up a necklace. There was a small object hanging from it. It looked sort of like a snail shell and it was white. The chain was silver and made out of what I assumed to be some sort of unbreakable metal.

"This works sort of like a perception filter," he said. "However, instead of making you virtually invisible to the naked eye, it will change the way you look. If someone is clever, they'll see what you really look like out of the corner of their eye, but when they look too closely, you'll look completely different. However, there is a catch."

"What's the catch?" I asked.

"It could change your appearance into almost anything," he replied. "You could look like an ordinary human _or _you could look like a Raxicoricofallapatorian. I don't know how to set it."

"What planet is it from?" He named some other backwater planet from a solar system the Time Lords had often ignored. However, I realized exactly what it was. The Doctor had used it once when we were kids to make himself look like a Dalek to scare off some kids. I smiled a little at the memory. "Let me see."

Jack handed it to me and I took it lightly in my hands, weighing it and examining it. I put it on and thought _human_. I thought of features that the average human had and felt the power shimmer over my body. I waited a minute and watched Jack's face. He looked utterly bewildered.

"How did you-?"

"Time Lord," I said, sitting back and stuffing the necklace into my ruined and bloodstained shirt. Bloodstained? When had that happened? Jack laughed ironically.

"Of course," he shook his head. "I should have known."

I was just about to say something when the sound of an alarm went off. It startled me and my hearts raced. I stood and looked around, trying to hide behind something. The panic clouded my mind for a moment and I sat on the floor behind a small cabinet. Jack stood and said something but I couldn't hear it. My mind was suddenly flooded with images from the Valiant.

_I pointed the laser screwdriver at the Doctor and watched an unprecedented glee as he flailed and screamed in pain. The Drums pounded into my head relentlessly, telling me that this was the right thing to do. Make this renegade Time Lord who had abandoned us suffer. I watched him age until he looked about right. _

_The Doctor is holding me, trying not to cry as I died. He kept screaming at me to regenerate, squeezing my weakened body. The pain in his eyes touched my hearts. He looked so like the little boy I had known back on Gallifrey. _

"_Koschei! Please, don't go!" he shouted. His long mop of curly hair falling into his face. "Something bad is going to happen." I was on my way to the Untempered Schism for my coronation. I should have trusted him then. Maybe I wouldn't be so—_

"Harry!" I snapped out of my memories by Jack's hand shaking me again. I looked up to see the worried faces a male and a female human. My hands hurt. When I looked down at them, they were bleeding. Teeth marks riddled the sides and they were bleeding. I must have tried to stop the memories by biting myself. The panic in my chest rose when I realized that there were other people I had hurt standing in the room. Gwen Cooper and Ianto Jones. I had killed them personally and here they were, standing over me. Ianto carried a tray with four cups of coffee and Gwen was looking very pregnant. Had she been pregnant when I'd killed her? In my mind's eye, I could see the pain on her face as I drove a knife into her stomach. It wasn't pain from the wound; it was pain for something lost. I hadn't thought about it then. When I looked at Ianto, I thought of how I'd chained him up on the Valiant and had him beaten to death by my soldiers. I couldn't breathe. My mouth hung agape as a lump formed in my throat and tears threatened to burst forward. I placed my hands on my head and squeezed, trying to rid myself of these images. "Harry! Come back… please. It's alright."

"P-please don't hurt me…" I whimpered, suddenly afraid. Jack would probably get angry now. He would get sick of looking at my face and seeing the man that had tortured him so much. He would stop pitying me and hurt me. "I'm so sorry… I didn't mean… it wasn't my fault…" The guilt continued to push me down into that dark place. I pushed at Jack's chest, rejected the comfort. I didn't deserve this kind of comfort. I wanted him to hurt me, but I hoped that he didn't. I needed to be punished for my crimes, but I didn't want it. "Please… just… I can't… take me back…" God, I needed the Drums. This feeling welled up in my chest and I pulled my knees to my chest, covering my head with my hands. I didn't want to feel this much. It didn't make sense to me. "How could you… you can never… I have to be punished for this…" My hearts hurt and I sobbed, just wanting the pain to go away. It was worse than anything UNIT could have ever done to me. I closed my eyes and shook my head. "Take me back, Jack… I can't do this… the Doctor was right…" I couldn't stop shaking, couldn't stop remembering all the things I'd done.

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><p>Jack Harkness looked on, feeling helpless, as the Master curled up against the wall and continued to abuse himself. The Master believed that he deserved punishment for his crimes and it was the Doctor's fault, for leaving him here. Why couldn't the Doctor help him? He had made all those promises to help the Master on the Valiant. What had changed? The Master began to beat his fists against his head again and it took nearly all of Jack's strength to stop him from doing it. Ianto and Gwen stood by, looking terrified. They asked if there was anything they could do. He asked them to help carry the Master to a room in the Hub where Jack's bed was. The Master was now sobbing and weeping incoherently. Jack tried not to cry for him. The priority was to help him, but his current appearance wasn't helping. His head started bleeding again and Jack sent Gwen to get some bandages. The Master continued to push Jack away, but Jack resisted, uttering words of comfort and encouragement.<p>

"Just take me back…" the Master begged. Jack knew he was no longer thinking sensibly, but he couldn't help the pain that welled up in his chest when he heard these words. He had thought the Master was at least a little better after escaping UNIT but obviously he was wrong. It would take much longer to help the Master recover. "Please, Jack… tell him I'm sorry… tell him not to come back for me…" The Master was talking about the Doctor. The abandonment he was feeling seemed to increase his need to be punished. Rage grew in Jack's heart, but he pushed it down. He would talk to the Doctor later… if he could find him. The Master looked desperate. Gwen came back with bandages just as Jack finally managed to get the Master to sit down on the bed. Upon seeing Gwen, the Master went into a frenzied state, getting on his knees and apologizing to her.

"I'm sorry, Gwen!" he cried. "I'm so sorry… I didn't… It wasn't…" Jack became worried that the Master would say too much, so he asked Gwen to leave. Ianto could be trusted not to say anything if he heard something. Gwen… well, she was pregnant and emotional. Bad things could happen.

"Harry… come on…" Jack urged. "Get back on the bed so we can wrap your head up." The Master complied fearfully and winced when Jack brought his hands up to his head. The Master batted his hands away.

"No! Don't!" he cried. "Please…" Jack grabbed his wrists and looked right into the Master's eyes. The Master stilled somewhat, trembling with fear.

"We need to wrap your head up," he said slowly. The Master's lip trembled and he bit down on it, making it bleed. Jack sighed and reached out to Ianto who gave him the bandages along with a small syringe.

"Give this to him," Ianto said. "He won't sit still and he could injure himself further. Look, he's shaking." Jack nodded and the Master went nuts.

"No! Please, don't kill me!" he shouted. "Please! I'll do anything, I swear!" Jack ignored him and held him still by wrapping his arms around the smaller man. He really was shaking terribly. The Master whimpered and begged as Jack plunged the needle into his neck. The Time Lord went still and leaned against Jack. Jack handled the Master gently, laying him down on the bed and wrapping his head in gauze. He applied ointment to his hands and wrapped them as well. The Master slept soundly all throughout. Ianto watched sadly as Jack tried to pull himself together. He stood and hugged Ianto for a full minute before pulling away.

"It's him, isn't it Jack?" Ianto said. Jack tensed. "It's the man we all saw in our dreams a few months ago. It's Harold Saxon." Jack knew that there was no point in lying to Ianto now. He was too clever.

"Yes," he said. "He did terrible things to the human race... but it wasn't his fault. How did you know?"

"The necklace," Ianto said quietly. "I saw him for who he really was just before the necklace changed his appearance. What happened to him, Jack?" Jack sighed and rubbed his hands over his face, pulling his mobile out of his pocket.

"More than I'm able to deal with on my own," he answered. "We need a doctor."

"Your Doctor?" Ianto asked, looking somewhat excited. Jack shook his head. The Master stirred a little in his sleep, mumbling something about the Doctor that Jack didn't understand. He assumed it was in another language.

"No," he said. "It might hurt him more… but we need Martha Jones."

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><p><strong>AN: And that's it for chapter five. What will Martha Jones think when she sees the Time Lord that ruined her life? What might the General have to say about the Doctor's previous revelation? All that and more will be in the next chapter. Thanks for reading! Review if you like. It always helps.**

**-The Lonely King**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Jack? What's wrong?" Martha asked as she entered Torchwood 3 five hours later. "I came as soon I got your message. What's happened?" Jack sighed and scratched his head, wondering exactly how he should tell her that he'd basically kidnapped the Master in an attempt to rehabilitate him. It had sounded good in his head right up until Martha walked through the door. Now, he was nervous. Ianto came in at that exact moment, saving him from an explanation for now. Jack looked at him.

"Sir," he said. "Harold-Harry's asleep and his fever's gone down. His blood pressure's still pretty high, but I'm not exactly sure what that means." Jack nodded. Martha had heard Ianto's mistake and her heart faltered for a moment.

"Who?" Martha asked, giving Jack a wide-eyed stare. "Who's Harry? A new member?"

Jack simply shook his and walked toward his office, gesturing for her to follow. He told Ianto to stay behind and keep checking on the Master. Ianto understood. He didn't need to hear about what happened during the three weeks Jack had disappeared. He'd known when Martha arrived that there would be private conversation. Jack told Martha to sit down and wait a moment. He needed to think and consider his next words.

After about ten minutes of pacing, Jack finally sat down and took a deep breath. He leveled Martha with a serious gaze and she squirmed a bit, wondering what this was all about.

"Martha… I need you to take a deep breath and remain calm," Jack said. "What I am about to tell you could possibly make you angry or scared, but you need to understand what I mean when I say that staying calm is the best thing right now."

"Okay," she conceded warily. "What's this all about then, Jack?"

"I kidnapped the Master." There. He had said it. He watched as number of emotions crossed her face. Hurt. Betrayal. Anger. Fear. He saw her hands begin to shake just before she closed them into fists. She closed her eyes and took a very deep breath. The next word out of her mouth was spoken so quietly that Jack almost didn't hear her.

"Why?" she whispered. "Why would you do that, Jack?"

"When you told me he had been captured by UNIT, I assumed the worst," Jack explained. "They would torture him for his crimes and in all probability make him hate humans as much as he did before…" Jack paused, wondering how much Martha really knew about the Master. She finished his sentence.

"The Drums," she said. Jack blinked. "I thought so…"

"What do you mean?"

"The Drums… he was always goin' on about a noise in his head," she said. "The Doctor kept saying that it was his own insanity, but it wasn't, was it? It was something to do with what happened a few months ago; when everyone turned into him. That sound reverberated through the whole world at that time. I only heard it for a few hours and it drove me mad. The Doctor said he'd been hearing since he was very young." Jack nodded.

"The leader of the Time Lords used the Drums as a sort of signal to give orders to the Master," Jack said. "I don't completely understand it, but when I was on the Valiant we talked a few times. I think I frustrated him so much because I wouldn't die when he killed me. He would have these moments where he would say things. He said the Drums were controlling him and that they wouldn't go away unless he did what they said. Did you hear any kind of voice back then?"

"No," Martha answered.

"Think carefully, think back," Jack said.

Martha thought about it for a moment. She thought about how the Drums had felt in her head. She thought about how she had tried to shake it out of her mind. She thought carefully, like Jack had said, and her mouth opened in a surprised 'O'.

"G-Gallifrey… returns…" she quietly. The name of the old planet sounded strange on her lips. "That's what the Drums were saying that day."

"Exactly," Jack said, smiling a little. "Now think about this: The Master is a Time Lord with incredible psychic ability. He managed to fool us all into voting for him during the Year. He turned everyone on the planet into him. Imagine having that level of psychic ability and having words like that constantly pounded into your head." Martha nodded. She understood. Good.

"You don't think that it was his fault at all, then, do you?" she asked. Jack nodded.

They were interrupted when voices carried down the hall. Ianto was arguing with the Master, insisting that he lie still and try to rest and that Jack would be back soon. Jack could hear them struggling and then hasty footsteps heading in their direction. Jack stood just as the Master burst into his office, looking like a dark-haired, skinny, pale 17-year-old. Upon seeing Martha, the Master froze.

"Master…" Jack said warily. "Are you alright? How did you sleep?" The Master shook his head and backed away slowly. Ianto went around him.

"I'm sorry, sir," he said. "I tried to tell him that you were busy…"

"It was a trick…" the Master whispered. "You tricked me. You brought _her _here to hurt me, didn't you?" Jack shook his head and walked over to him, reaching out to him. The Master flinched away.

"No, it isn't a trick," Jack explained. "I promise, she's not here to hurt you—"

"NO!" the Master shouted, backing away faster. "She's the one who—and the Doctor… oh God…"

Jack could tell the Master was on his way down as he collapsed on the ground. Martha stood and walked toward him, inquiring as to why he looked different. Jack quickly explained about the necklace. As Martha got closer, the Master shook and held his hands out to defend himself. He seemed to be trying to making himself as small as possible to get away from her.

"Please! I'm sorry! Don't—Don't hurt me!" he yelled. "It wasn't my fault… it wasn't my fault…"

Martha no longer felt angry. She no longer felt like telling the Master off about everything he'd done. (Which is what she would have done if UNIT had let her in a few days ago.) She didn't want to hurt him. Being a doctor herself, she only wanted to help him. She looked at his slight, starved formed and wanted to cry. She knelt down in front of him, her heart hurting each time he said that it wasn't his fault. He repeated it and tried to melt into the wall when she got closer. He put his hands in front of his face and whimpered and shook. Martha took his hands in hers and put them down. He turned his head sideways to avoid her gaze.

"P-please…" he begged. "I-I'm so…sorry…"

Martha Jones placed both of her hands gently on his face and turned his head to face her. He looked down, up, to the left, to the right, anywhere to avoid her eyes. He began to sweat, only adding to filthy smell that coated his body. He hadn't showered in days. Martha ignored this because it wasn't important. It was trivial compared to things the Master had gone through. She thought for a moment of what to say. She thought back to the Valiant when the Master had broken somewhat after the Doctor's revival. She remembered seeing that it had helped and for just a second, the Master stilled. Then, his eyes went mad again and backed away hastily from the Doctor, realizing something she didn't understand. Martha swallowed thickly and took a deep breath. She knew what to say.

"Look at me," she whispered, voice breaking. Slowly, he lifted his eyes to look at her. "I'm not going to hurt you, Master. Do you know why?" The Master shook his head. "Because I forgive you."

The Master took a shuddering breath and sobbed, head hanging in shame. Martha pulled him into a tight embrace and he clung to her for dear life—or perhaps dear sanity. She whispered.

"I forgive you…"

"What do you mean, you created the Signal, Doctor?" asked the General. He regarded Theta carefully, his hands clasped in front of him. The Doctor stood, knocking over his chair.

"I CREATED IT, YOU DAFT OLD FOOL!" he roared, his voice made unsteady by the tears that threatened to spill over. "Rassilon told me it would help and I was desperate! I needed the money…"

"You gave Rassilon that signal… for money?" the General whispered. He leaned forward in his seat and looked up at the Doctor. "Theta… how could you?"

"I had to, don't you see?" the Doctor replied, looking a bit mad. "He was losing his mind already. Rassilon said so… so I suggested a signal. He told me it was brilliant. The first words of approval from the _Lord President._" The Doctor said his name with so much hate in his voice that it caused the General to stand and walk around the desk. He picked up the chair and tried to force Theta to sit. Theta resisted for a moment. The General would have none of it. He grabbed Theta's wrists and shook his head. The Doctor looked like he wanted to protest, but the General shook his head again.

**-No.-**

The Doctor sat down and sagged in the chair. The General's hears throbbed painfully. Theta had once been such a wonderful, hyper kid. Now, he was getting old and broken. He had lost so much and was responsible for the destruction of the one place he might have belonged. The General could see he was riddled with guilt and he couldn't bring himself to be angry. The Doctor was just a lost boy with a box.

"Mum was dying…" the Doctor sobbed, resting his head into his face. "I-I thought it would help… Koschei… he couldn't go an hour without me and I was so tired. I just wanted to help them both. But he took my invention… and _twisted _it!" The General knelt on the floor in front of the Doctor as he did back on Gallifrey, placing a hand on his shoulder. He understood just how the Doctor felt at this moment.

"It's alright, Theta," he assured him quietly. "I understand."

"How will he ever forgive me, General?" he whispered. "I created him… I… I can't even bear to look at him now…"

The General sighed and stood slightly, hugging Theta's weeping form close to his body. He thought for a moment about this situation. The Doctor, as well himself were the only other Time Lords alive and they had both created Gallifrey's most shameful child. In a way, the last few Time Lords in the universe were all the worst beings in the universe. How had this come to be? When had the universe turned into such a terrible place? He shook his head and decided he'd rather not think about it. He pulled Theta away from him and fixed him with a serious stare.

"Theta… listen to me," he said. The urgency in his voice made the Doctor look up. The pain in his eyes made the General feel guilty. "Who are you?" The Doctor's brows furrowed in confusion.

"I'm…I'm the Doctor…" he replied. As he said this, there was no sense of the usual pride the General would hear when Theta introduced himself.

"What is your job, Doctor?" The Doctor sniffed and wiped his face on his sleeve.

"To help people," he said as if were obvious. "But what does this have to do with anything? I failed."

"You haven't failed, Theta," the General said softly. He placed a hand on the side of Theta's face. "You tried to _help _the Master, _and _your mother. That didn't work out so well… there's nothing you can do about it now. What does a doctor do when he fails to fix his patient?" The General was speaking to the Doctor like he was a child. In reality, compared to the General, the Doctor really was a child. The General was already in his twenty-third regeneration—the extras given to him for his success in drilling into the Master's mind.

"They… keep trying?" the Doctor tried, looking at the General uncertainly.

"Yes, Theta," he said. "They keep trying because giving up is not an option. You are the Oncoming Storm, Destroyer of Worlds, and the Time Lord Victorious. You do not lose. You do not give up. I'll be damned if I see you give up now that the Master's alright."

"How can you know that?" the Doctor asked impatiently. "How do you know the Drums didn't have some sort of negative effect on him?" The General shook his head.

"I am absolutely sure the Drums had a negative effect on him," he replied. "They blocked out his conscience and suppressed what was left of little Koschei. They turned him into a machine, following only Rassilon's orders. After his coronation, the Master never had a mind of his own. Now, he's alone, thinking you've abandoned him. You were his only friend and you left."

"I don't…"

"Listen to me," the General said harshly. "Before the Drums, you were the only one who could help him. I believe that perhaps there was a small bit of Koschei left that could have fought Rassilon with your help. When you left, it broke him completely. He became a zombie, walking around the academy like he was blind. He wasn't bullied anymore, but he always seemed to be waiting. When you didn't come back, he gave up… Gave into the Drums, and lost himself. Now he's back. He's that same, fragile little boy we all knew on Gallifrey and there's no Theta to help him recover."

"You think… I can still help him?" the Doctor asked, wary of the General's answer. The General sat back behind his desk again.

"Honestly?" The Doctor nodded. "I haven't a clue. He's been with Jack for a couple of days now. I've gotten reports that Martha Jones has disappeared as well." This information didn't seem to surprise the Doctor one bit.

"So, what should I do?"

"Get _yourself_ together, Theta," the General ordered. "You can't help the Master if you're all… like this." The General waved his hands at the Doctor. "The Master may very well be afraid of you because he thinks you're angry with him. Give him some time."

"What should I say about the Drums?" the Doctor asked, wringing his hands together nervously.

"I'm not going to tell you what you should do about that, Theta," the General replied. "But I will tell you this: Whatever you decide to do or not to do is on your conscience. The longer you wait, the harsher the consequences will be." The Doctor nodded his understanding and stood up, stretching. The General stood as well and they stared at each other for a moment. The Doctor held up his hand and the General shook it.

"Thank you, General," said the Doctor. He walked out of the General's office and right into the TARDIS. He set the coordinates to the Time Vortex and let himself drift outside of Time and Space for a while. He would think rationally about this and he wouldn't return until he was absolutely sure that he could face his old friend and tell him the truth.

**A/N: This chapter was hard to write for some reason. But I managed. I hate writing in too much dialogue, but there were obviously things that needed to be said. Hope you enjoyed. Happy Easter!**

**For the next chapter: What will Martha and the Torchwood team do to help the Master overcome his guilt? How long will it take for the Doctor to come back?**

**-The Lonely King**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Thanks for your reviews. Here's the next chapter! **

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><p><strong>Chapter 7<strong>

_I am walking to my coronation. The Senators walking behind me say nothing to me, but I don't care. My hearts are thumping with pride and expectation. My name was chosen long ago, by me. The Master. I will be the Master of all. I will become the greatest Time Lord that ever lived and I will change things. We will no longer stand by while the peoples of the universe destroy each other so hatefully. I will show all the dusty old Senators of Gallifrey what it means to truly _be _a Lord of Time._

_My train of thought is interrupted by the echoing sound of feet running down the Hall and the voice of a screaming boy. He is calling my name and my hearts lift. I almost thought he'd be late or miss me completely. I stop and glare at Senators surrounding me, warning them not to say anything. I am only eight years old, but I have already become the most frightening boy on the planet… and today is not the day to upset me; not when I am already teetering on the edge of insanity. Who knows? Maybe the Untempered Schism will drive me insane. But I am confident. Theta assured me that wouldn't happen. He said that if anything at all happened, I would get better from the experience. Just wait and see._

_As I look at him now, though, my hearts falter slightly. He is sweating profusely and his eyes are puffy and read. A bruise is splashed across his right cheek and his left shoulder is bleeding. Theta stops just in front of me, reaching out to me just before he falls to his knees, panting heavily. I catch him by his other arm and ease him to floor. When I look closer, there are finger marks on his neck and blood on both of his hands. My blood runs cold as I realized that he's killed someone again. I could see from the marks on his body that it wasn't his fault, though. _

"_Theta…" I whisper, placing my hand on his left cheek. "What happened to you, my friend?" _

"_Someone tried to stop me…" he said, almost as if he couldn't believe it. His eyes were wide and panicked, darting from side to side. When they settled on me, he seemed to realize his purpose for coming here. I was a little heartsbroken to think that maybe he hadn't really come here for me. "Koschei…" he said urgently, fisting my white shirt in his hands. "Koschei, you have to get out of here. Please… don't go. Something is about to happen to you." I scoffed. One of the Senators shifted uncomfortably behind me and at the time, I'd thought nothing of it. What a fool I'd been. _

"_Theta… I thought you wanted this…" I whispered in disbelief. "What changed?" _

"They _changed," he glared up at the Senators. "They're going to—"_

"_THETA!" cried an adult voice. I looked up to see the General rounding the corner and heading swiftly in our direction. Theta ignored him. _

"_Just come away with me!" he begged, crying. I was shocked. Theta never cried. It was against the rules for him. He was supposed to be _my _savior. I humored him, thinking something must really be wrong. "Please! Remember that old TARDIS I told you I found? I fixed it! We can go anywhere! Anywhere but here! Koschei…" The General approached us then, grabbing Theta's uninjured shoulder and pulling him away from me._

"_Theta, stop this," the General scolded. "There's nothing you can—"_

"_NO!" Theta screamed, pushing the General away with an incredible strength that I'd never seen. The General stumbled and fell several feet away from us. The Senators moved to intervene, but I shook my head. They stilled. He moved back towards me and grabbed my shirt. He was terrifying me. "Koschei, listen to me! I can help you. You don't need to do this! Please!" I closed my eyes and sighed, grabbing his small fists in mine. I didn't know what was wrong, but I did what I thought was right the time. I thought maybe the Senators would be proud of me for rejecting Theta's offer. I would explain it to him later, I thought. I would make him see how much better I'd become because of the Schism. His eyes were desperate and rage-filled. When had Theta become such a monster? Had I create him? I wanted to cry, but I didn't. I steeled myself for my next words._

"_Theta… please," I whispered. "Go home."_

_The hurt and betrayal was clear in his eyes and he sagged, letting me go. He sobbed a little. I brought him into a hug and whispered to him. He nodded and I gave him a kiss on his forehead and let him go. The General had recovered by this point and was standing by warily. I nodded to him and wrapped his fingers carefully around Theta's left arm. Theta didn't react to him, he just hung his head. It hurt to see him this way, but I told myself that this was needed. The last thing I remember hearing Theta say at that time was so strange and it would haunt me for the rest of my life. _

"_I love you, Koschei…" he said, and turned away from me. "And I'm sorry… I'm so sorry."_

_I watched in shock as the General ushered him away, saying something about the hospital and the boys he'd killed defending himself. As I turned and walked ahead of the Senators to what I know considered as certain death, I closed my eyes. It was a mistake because when next I opened them, my mind was assaulted with all of Time and Space… and the accursed Drums of War._

* * *

><p>I awaken to the sound of someone shouting and I realize that it's me. My hands fly up to cover my mouth and the yelling stops. All I can do is swallow. I have to control myself. I won't cry… not right now. Crying too much is bad… isn't it? I realize I'm lying on the floor of Jack's room, a small bundle of clothing sitting on my chest.<p>

I try to remember my dream, but the more I try to catch it, the faster it slips away. The sound of the drums faded to the back of my mind. They aren't the real drums, I know that. They are just an echo of What Once Was. The only thing that remained was Theta's last words to me. He was apologizing, but for what? He couldn't really have known what would happen… had he felt responsible for me even then? I could hardly remember my childhood before the Drums. For me, it consisted of watching the Doctor defend my honor, hunching over little inventions, and running in fields of deep red grass. Back then, we'd both run from our issues… or so I'd thought. A memory of Theta talking to my parents came forward at that moment. Theta was saying something about his mother dying. It wasn't until later that I'd found out my parents had been giving him money, but it hadn't been enough. Theta's mother died three days before his coronation and ever since then he'd talked of leaving 'this godforsaken planet'. He talked so hatefully of the place that we'd wanted to change. I was so… crazy at the time that it hadn't made much sense to me. Now, thinking back, I understood. Thinking back, I wish I'd just gone with him.

"Harry!" Martha cries, shaking me. This shaking business was getting old quick. "Harry, are alright? I heard you scream…" I wave her off and sit up, opening my eyes. When had I shut them?

"M'fine, Martha Jones…" I say, rubbing my head. When I pull my hand away, it's covered in blood. The image of Theta approaching me with his hands all bloody. "Shit…"

"Watch it," Martha snapped. "You'll heal fast enough, even _with _the wrap there. Now get up and get in the shower like I said five minutes ago. We can't help you if you—"

"—am not willing to help myself, I know," I growl, standing up. I was sick of hearing this speech. Jack had told me before leaving to listen to whatever Martha said and that she couldn't help me if I didn't want help. I hadn't wanted him to leave me alone with her. It wasn't because I didn't believe that she truly did forgive me, because I did. I didn't believe, however, that she would actually _want _to help me. I thought she'd be colder and here she was scolding me about passing out on the floor. I shook my head and laughed, walking away. Martha followed me all the way to the shower bank, standing very closely. She couldn't possibly understand the comfort she was providing me and how much it meant to me. No one but the Doctor had ever cared for me, and he'd stopped a long time ago. I fought the urge to hold her hand. Koschei had been the one reliant on personal contact. Not me. Not Harry Saxon.

When we got to the shower room, I considered asking her to stay close. Another mind present, no matter how weak, was always a comfort. I stopped… and then I kept walking, hugging my clothes close to me. She stopped me by placing hand on my arm. I winced, thinking she'd hurt me somehow. She smiled softly.

"I'll hold those until you get out," she said. "I'll be right outside if you need me."

I nodded and handed her the black T-shirt, leather jacket, and light blue jeans. I'd picked them out of a drawer labeled 'Owen Harper'. I didn't know who it was, but Jack had introduced me to the whole team. I figured Owen wouldn't need them anymore. I stepped into the shower stall and turned the knob as far to the left as possible. The water needed to be scalding if I was to properly disinfect myself. I stripped, the clothes tearing and falling away like soft paper and stepped into the water. A hiss of pain escaped my lips before I could stop it. The water was definitely hot—a little too hot. I turned it down to a soft steaming heat and unwrapped my head. This would be the most painful part. Closing my eyes, I ducked my head under the stream and sighed.

"Are you okay?" Martha called. I turned under the water and watched as the blood that coated my body washed down the drain.

"Y-yeah…" I said. I'm fine. Steam rises in the shower, momentarily clouding my vision. I gasp suddenly as the water hits my back and take deep breaths to fight the pain. If there was anything I deserved, it was at least this much.

"You're him then?" Martha says, distracting me from the pain. I use this to my advantage. "You're the Doctor's friend." I laugh mirthlessly.

"You could say that," I admitted. "But I hardly think he considers us friends now, eh?" I grab the soap and begin scrubbing myself, starting with the hair. "He'll never really forgive me, you know. He's old, and just like me, mercy is very nearly nonexistent."

"I don't understand that…" Martha states. "How could he just abandon you like that? Anyone who's willing to look can see that you've changed…"

"He isn't willing to look, Martha Jones," I reply, standing under the water again to rinse the soap and blood off. "He's the Doctor… and for all the things he's seen his nine hundred years, he's never been able to see what truly matters. Not since his mother died anyway." Martha gasps.

"Do you think the Doctor's lost hope, Master?" I wince at her use of my title. I don't like hearing her use my name.

"I don't know…" I say, turning off the water and wrapping a nearby towel around my waist. "But please, Martha Jones… Don't call me 'Master'. I am no one's Master—especially not yours." I step out of the shower stall and Martha is standing off to the side. I smile at her and she looks surprised. She studies my face. "Really, Martha Jones… you… just call me Harry." She nods.

"Alright, then," she grins. "Only if you promise to stop calling me by my whole name. It's Martha—just Martha."

"Alright… Martha."

About ten minutes later, we're sitting in computer chairs, registering my name into the Torchwood team. Jack had told us that it would be alright and I was entering false information about my age and even changed my name from Harold Saxon to Harry Smith. Martha came along holding two cups of coffee. I accepted mine with a nod. I took a sip and grinned at her.

"Not as good as Ianto's," she shrugged. "But—"

"I think it's brilliant," I interrupted, locking eyes with her. "Thank you, Martha."

She looked confused, but nodded anyway. If there was one thing I hated more than anything in the universe, it was listening to self-degradation. I did it myself, but I deserved to be a hypocrite on this one. Theta had talked down to himself too much when we were kids, and I had reason to suspect that he still did sometimes. Martha looked at my new name and laughed. I tilted my head and watched her. Her presence was ridiculously comforting, but not inexplicably so. She had the sort of essence that immediately instilled trust and admiration in my hearts. She had recently gone through psychic training (enough to be able to see past psychic paper) and her mind was open, but closed at the same time. It must mean that she was hiding something important. I didn't really care—it wasn't my business to know. I couldn't help the niggling feeling in the back of my mind that told me I might have had something to do with it. However, I could see why the Doctor liked her so much. She was simply pleasant.

"I don't think 'Smith' is a good last name," she giggled. "People might think you're married."

"Hmm?" I mumbled, my train of thought being officially derailed. "Why would people think that?"

"Think about it," she implored. "When you're traveling with the Doctor and he introduces himself as John Smith…" she left the rest of her thought hanging. I realized what she meant and laughed.

"Alright, what do you propose I do, then?"

"Harry… Potter?" she said, quirking a brow. I shook my head and we laughed for several minutes. It felt good to really laugh.

We argued over last names for several minutes before settling on Harry Kingston from Cardiff, Wales. I liked it because it sounded original; she liked because it sounded close enough to my title. I shrugged and stood, stretching. She watched me, biting her lip and looking worried. I crossed my arms and tilted my head at her.

"What happened to you, Harry Kingston?" she asked. I should have known that she would ask me eventually. I sighed and sat back down in my seat. "You seem just like a regular man."

"I guess…" I began, looking away. "At some point in my life, I gave up fighting for a cause when I realized that nobody else cared. When The—er… the Doctor left after I became a Time Lord, I was heartsbroken." I turned to the computer screen and checked over the information before hitting "enter". A photo ID was being printed somewhere nearby and I didn't feel like getting up to find it.

"I think you'll be alright, Harry," she said, leaning forward to pat my knee. I grabbed her wrist.

"Why do you think that?" I asked, leaning close to her and studying her face. "What's stopping you from killing me right now? We're all alone here and I'm weak and broken."

"Because you're not…" she hesitated and wouldn't meet my eyes. "I don't think you're that much of a threat anymo—"

"Not a threat?" I interrupted, raising a brow. I pulled her closer to me, taking advantage of the wheels on her chair. "You don't think I'm a threat. That's funny." I didn't want to do this. I didn't want her to be afraid of me, but I wanted her to realize just how much of a threat both the Doctor and I were to her. If she believed that we weren't dangerous, then she was fooling herself. I didn't want her to remain stupid. She struggled a little and I tightened my grip on her wrists. I willed the necklace to change my appearance back to Harold Saxon. She gasped and tried to pull away. "Look at me, Martha. I destroyed your life. The Doctor destroyed your life. We're Time Lords… That's what we do. We can break into your feeble little minds and destroy you from within—drive you mad. We can change your past and manipulate your future. We can be in your life for but a moment and change everything—ruin everything."

"…but you don't," she whispered. I chuckled darkly.

"Oh, but we do," I growl. "The Doctor does it better than anyone I know. When Gallifrey was returning, I saw into his mind. He'd destroyed entire species and manipulated people into taking their own lives. He never speaks about it because he wants the humans to think he's some sort of hero. He isn't. He does what he does so well because you let him get away with it."

"You… you're hurting me," she says, looking at me.

"Don't you see, Martha?" I ask, ignoring her. "The Doctor doesn't like me because… I am the embodiment of everything he _hates _about himself. Despite the absence of the Drums, I'm not afraid to cause others distress to prove a point. Neither is he. Don't make people into heroes, Martha, they don't exist. And even if they did, the Doctor definitely wouldn't be one of them. I am a monster, little girl. You should stay away before you get yourself hurt."

Martha's reaction wasn't expected: She took a breath, and wrenched her wrists from my hands, only to place hers on my face. She kept my head still and forced me to look at her.

"Listen to me, Harry," she said. I was compelled to listen. "You aren't going to scare me away. I can see that you are broken and weak. Do you really think the Doctor isn't? He always looks so sad when he thinks no one's looking, but I can see it. The thing that's different about you is that you don't run away like he does. You're facing your demons when, from what you've told me, all he does is run. He leaves us behind because he's afraid of watching us die or become terrible people. The Doctor creates us and leaves us behind when we fail to be what he wants."

"So… what, then?" I ask, realizing she hadn't bought my 'I'm a monster' speech at all. (I tried not to smile.) "What should I do, Martha? I want to be… like him. He's not drowning in his memories and letting them destroy him."

"You're right," she said. "But I won't let it destroy you. I won't let you run or push me and Jack away like you're trying to do. You don't need be like the Doctor. You just need to forgive yourself."

"How can you not hate me?"

"If there's one thing the Doctor taught me, it's that killing isn't always the answer," she stated, answering my original question first. "I believe when you died the first time, he lost sight of that. I don't hate you because it would be pointless. It wouldn't make me feel any better. I'm going to help you like the Doctor promised and you will _not _run. If you're both running, you'll never get back to each other."

Needless to say, I was shocked by this revelation. I could see why the Doctor hung around these little humans. They could bring out the best in people, no matter how deeply buried it was. It made my hearts ache, but it was a happy ache. I was glad that I'd gotten to talk to Martha alone.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Sorry this chapter is so long, but a lot needed to be said and I couldn't find anywhere to stop it. The confrontation needed to happen sooner or later and I'd rather it happened now. Did anyone catch the little allusion Martha made toward the Doctor 'creating' the things he abandons? Well, I just told you. Hopefully, the Master figures things out in time. Things are about to get heavy when the Doctor returns to retrieve his only friend. What will happen when Jack finds out the truth? Or better yet, is Martha Jones falling in love with her patient? Are those feelings at all returned? Maybe, maybe not. What will the Master have to say to the Doctor, if anything? All this and more in upcoming chapters. It looks like there are only a few chapters left, people. Let me know what you think. **

**-The Lonely King**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: This is more of a filler chapter than anything. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 8**

"Harry?" Jack called two hours later as he returned to the Hub. "Martha? Hello?"

Martha had insisted that she be left alone with the Master. Despite his doubt, she'd managed to convince Jack that all the Master really needed was 'a woman's touch' and someone to talk to. Jack was hoping that she'd succeeded in at least getting the Master to talk a bit because he didn't know how much longer the Doctor would wait. The General had called him while he was out and told him that the Doctor knew the Master had been taken. The General had had no choice but to tell him where the Master was. He'd told him to be very careful with the Master and that if the Doctor showed up that it would be up Jack to tell the Doctor whether or not the Master was recovered. Time was running out, Jack knew.

As Jack looked around half-heartedly for Martha and the Master, he noticed a profile was pulled up on a computer screen. The name of the individual was Harry Kingston; age 21, 5'9", and 130 lbs. He was apparently from Cardiff, Wales. He'd spent the first years of his life in South London before moving to Wales after his parents were killed in a fire. He'd lived on the streets for quite some time, unable to pay for Uni until a Torchwood member had found him (around a year ago) and deemed the boy useful to the team. Harry was diagnosed with depression at age 10 and was currently undergoing therapy with a doctor—whose name was not listed. Jack smiled proudly at this information. He couldn't have written it better himself and honestly… it suited him. Then his thoughts trailed back to the pair he'd left here. Where were they?

"You tricked me!" Martha screamed from somewhere. "You rotten bastard!"

Jack's heart sped a little and he ran toward the sound of her voice, gun drawn.

"I told you that you'd never win, Martha!" the Master laughed cruelly.

Jack was inwardly kicking himself for believing that Martha would be able to get the Master to calm down. Now, she was in danger and had been for probably nearly two hours. Jack burst into the game room without realizing where he was.

The Master looked and cried out, dashing behind a table to avoid the barrel of Jack's revolver. Martha moved quickly in front of the Master, looking worried.

"Jack?" Martha asked warily. "What's going on?"

Jack observed the scene. On the table that behind Martha sat a checkerboard with not a single red piece. There was a rather large stack of them sitting next to it and Jack sighed, stowing his gun in its holster. He shook head and placed his hands on his hips.

"You idiots…" he said, "I thought you were in danger, Martha. Sorry."

He walked over to the Master and reached down to help him up. The Master took his hand and let Jack pull him up. The Master's smile had returned. He looked great, Jack though. He was clean and even looked a little healthier. Jack could see the darkness that was ever-present in the Doctor's eyes in the Master's. The Master's gaze went out of focus every few seconds, but other than that, he seemed fine. He wasn't using the necklace right now and seemed somewhat confident. Jack's heart warmed. The Master was really trying. He laughed.

"You did all of this," he gestured at the Master, who stepped back a little. "…in a couple of hours?" The Master looked relieved. Martha just smiled.

"I told you," she shrugged. "All he needed was a good shower, a cup of coffee, and someone to talk to. And now all he needs is support from us." Jack crossed his arms over his chest and examined the man in front of him.

"Perhaps a change of clothes, too," Jack noted. "I think it would be better for him if he wasn't wearing the clothes of a dead man." The Master looked apologetic and Martha shook her head.

Martha, Jack, and 'Harry Kingston' set off to a mall a few blocks away. Jack insisted that Harry pick something classy, but at the mention of any kind of suit the Master simply shut down. Martha just placed a hand on his arm, comforting him. He was trying to move on from his old life and wearing a suit reminded him too much of Harold Saxon. Jack could see that the Master was still paranoid and his hands had a slight tremor to them. Whenever Martha noticed this, she grab the Master's hand and he'd visibly calm down. The Master was excited to use his new ID and every time he did, he could brush a finger across the shell necklace hiding under his shirt. He'd turned it back on just before they left.

For reasons Jack could barely understand, the Master seemed to be clinging to Martha. He'd get nervous if she strayed too far from the fitting room and call out to her every few minutes. It seemed like he wasn't as unstable as he'd been before… perhaps something Martha had said to him. Jack didn't think about it too long. Martha had to go to the bathroom and the Master had almost followed her right in. He reached out and grabbed the Master's arm, startling him a little. Jack loosened his grip and shook his head, smiling.

"You can't go in there, I'm afraid," Jack told him. "Ladies only, see?" He pointed at the sign that read 'Ladies' Room'. The Master took longer than necessary to read the sign and stepped back. He leaned against the wall across the hall and sighed, his hands balling into fists. His eyes wouldn't stop moving around and his breath was forcefully slow. Jack stood next to him, close enough that their shoulders were brushing. The Master's hand closed around his, but he didn't look at him. Jack understood. He needed the comfort of another being there… another being that he trusted. He wondered why the Master trusted him.

"I trust you, Jack," the Master said suddenly. "…because you took me away from UNIT. The way I see it, you wouldn't have taken me away from there if you wanted to hurt me. Am I right?" The Master looked up. Jack nodded. "I thought so… You know, I understand why the Doctor left you here. Martha told me that he creates you—us… his companions and his friends and then he leaves us behind when we don't turn out like he expected. I like you, though…"

"Why?" Jack asked. "The Doctor said I was wrong. Don't I make your head hurt or something?" The Master chuckled dryly and looked at his feet.

"The Doctor spends too much time in the Time Vortex," the Master explained. "You have so much of it in you that it's like… when you've just been eating something and then being forced to eat more of it just when you think you've had enough. It doesn't bother me. I haven't been in the Time Vortex for quite some time. Your presence is comforting." The Master's voice sounded a little monotone at the end. As if he felt that adding too much emotion would give Jack the wrong idea. Jack supposed he was right.

"Well, I'm glad I'm not hurting you," Jack said. "That's one of the reasons I left for so long."

"What was the other reason?" the Master asked a little quickly. Jack smiled.

"Martha," he replied. Needing no further explanation the Master quieted and his foot tapped the floor in a slow beat. It wasn't the rhythm of four… just a soft continuous tapping. Jack watched the Master think, his eyes flitting between reality and memory and simple observation of his surroundings. He opened his mouth and then closed his eyes, biting his lip. "What?"

"Martha said… I was thinking… I couldn't stop thinking about it…" he mumbled in reply. Jack waited. "What I just told you… about the Doctor creating us… I had a dream—or memory—about when the Doctor and I were kids. I was going to my coronation… and he tried to stop me. He'd said something bad was going to happen. And I was just wondering…Do you…do you think he knew?" The Master finally looked up at Jack's face. Jack kept his expression neutral. He didn't want to make the Master think that his friend couldn't be trusted, but he also didn't want to give him some bullshit answer. So, he settled with the truth.

"I don't know," Jack pondered. "It's quite possible... I mean, your people were really… political, right?" The Master nodded. "Maybe if he knew, he couldn't tell you. At least, that's what I'd assume. The Doctor doesn't seem like the kind of guy to lie about that sort of thing… omit certain information, avoid the question, yes, but never lie." Jack turned to face the Master, who looked so young his current form, and even more so by the face he was making. He was hopeful and afraid at the same time. "Do you think you could handle it if he did have something to do with it?"

* * *

><p>I didn't answer Jack's question right away because just then, Martha came out of the bathroom looking rather irritated. A woman from inside shouted profanity at her and Martha shouted something I never thought I'd hear out of a woman's mouth. Jack laughed. Martha scowled. I just stood there, thinking. I could only vaguely understand the discussion about the woman who had brought her son into the bathroom and how the boy had been climbing under the stalls; the woman yelling at Martha for scolding the boy and thumping him on the head. I was too busy thinking about Jack's question.<p>

Would I really be able to handle it? I tried to imagine hearing and seeing the Doctor admitting to knowing something or having something to do with the Drums and the Signal. I expected to feel angry or disappointed or hurt. All I felt was… pity. If the Doctor really did have something to do with…me… I'd feel sorry for him. I mean, it fit perfectly with what Martha had said. He had left shortly after my coronation without even saying goodbye. If _I _knew what would happen, I'd have left too… especially if it was my fault. Why would anyone stick around to see their best friend go mad? I tried to feel betrayed when I thought about this, but I just couldn't.

Over the next couple of months, the Torchwood team, Martha and I had developed a schedule. I slept in another bed that had been placed in Jack's bed. Ianto would come along at around 5 in the morning and take me out for a thirty minute jog.

"Staying healthy is the best way to recover," he'd tell me. "It takes your mind off things."

Oftentimes, Jack would make some remark about taking things off of Ianto's mind later in the evening. To which Ianto would simply blush and usher me out the door. Later, we'd check up on Gwen and have tea for a while and chat about baby names. At around noon, I would return to Torchwood and spend some time alone with Martha, simply talking about the past and how I was dealing with it. I felt like I was getting much better—less afraid. I was determined not to run from this darkness, but face it and defeat it. I wanted to do this for Martha, who had so bravely forgiven and trusted me. Martha was a brilliant woman. She always had an appropriate response to my problems. If I was feeling low and didn't feel like doing anything, she would scold me. It made me laugh—feel better. In fact, I spent so much time around Martha that she began to have a strange affect on me. She began to fill the emptiness that I felt when I'd first awoken in the TARDIS. Whenever she smiled or laughed I'd feel confident and my hearts would throb painfully. It was a good kind of pain, but I loved it and wanted it to happen more often. I did everything I could to make her laugh or smile or say that she was proud of me.

Jack and I spent a lot of time tracking Weevils and dealing with small alien problems. The missions were exciting and I found myself incredibly intrigued with the things that we discovered. There was so much new alien technology that I found old and decrepit. I'd often help Jack figure out how to use the things he found. For example, there was a ball that constantly multiplied by four every time you touched it. I had been playing with it because it was a toy for children from another planet. Jack had panicked until I snapped my fingers. The ball de-multiplied and fell into my hands. We had a good laugh about it later.

Around the fourth month of my time at Torchwood, Martha and I decided to go to a café for smoothies and chips. She laughed when I picked the banana smoothie, but refused to tell me why it was funny. It was about 5 in the evening and we were sitting inside. I was wearing my new clothes. I'd picked street clothes because I looked so young; just a pair of loose jeans and a graphic tee under a blue jumper. I half-listened as she talked about her sister and how she was getting much better—dealing with the events that had happened during The Year That Never Was. I was thinking about the Doctor again, how he'd left me here because he felt bad. Over the last couple of weeks, I had begun to believe that the Doctor at least knew something about the Drums that I didn't. What I couldn't grasp was why he'd been so adamant about the idea that it was my own insanity. Had it been my previous mental ailments that increased the need for the Drums to control me? It was possible… I couldn't remember very much of my childhood because most of it was spent either in Solitary at the Academy or drowning in the voices I could hear. The voices were gone now, too. I'd half expected them to come back, but they were just voices. And I was stronger now. The voices that would batter me with insults and ideas of treason were gone. Now, it was just me… and Martha.

"Harry, are you alright?" Martha asked, touching my hand softly. "You've been staring off into space. I stopped talking a few minutes ago and you're still pretending to listen." I smiled. God, this woman was clever. I shook my head apologetically.

"Sorry… I've just been thinking about the Doctor," it amazed me how easily Martha could pull the truth from my lips without even trying.

"Oh… what were you thinking?" she asked. I shrugged and began to explain what I had been thinking. I told her about the voices and that I might actually just forgive the Doctor if he had anything to with it. It wasn't until it was almost too late that I realized that I'd started talking about her.

"…helping me a lot," I was saying. "I felt so empty when I was first here, being assaulted by my memories, but you distract me and bring me back to Earth, so to speak. It's amazing, really, how brilliant you are. You don't even know it. To be honest I think I'm—" Woooooaaahhh, wait a minute. I stopped talking instantly as I realized what had just been about to come out of my mouth. It seemed, without the Drums and the memories, I'd developed the Doctor's ridiculous habit of babbling on without thinking. Martha was blushing. It was hard to see because of her skin color, but I could see it because… well… Time Lord.

"You think you're what, Harry?" she asked softly, searching my face. I looked up at the ceiling, suddenly very interested in the lights that hung above us.

"Nothing… nevermind…" I mumbled, standing and picking up our cups and the dish that had held our chips. "Let me just… throw this away. We should be heading back, yeah? It's getting dark and I'm sure your mother will be wondering where you are right now. She can be quite loud when she thinks something's happened to her daughter. Your mother loves you, you know…" There I was, babbling like an idiot again. Martha stood up and touched my arm. I looked at her, feigning curiosity.

"What were you just going to say, Harry?"

I sighed. I tried to think about it logically. If I told her and her feelings weren't returned, there'd be no harm done. If she did… what would we do, then? I'm an alien… a monster in some people's eyes—

"Harry," Martha interrupted, sounding a little impatient. "Stop thinking and just tell me." I took a deep breath and put the rubbish on the table. I put my hands on her shoulders and stared into her eyes, ready to gauge her reaction.

"Martha Jones… I—"

I… I was cut off by a loud 'vworp'-ing sound coming from the corner. Damn it.

**A/N: Oh, yes. There's a cliffhanger. Just how I like it. Does this scene seem a little too familiar, Doctor Who fans? I bet it does. Sorry for not updating for so long. I've been busy with school and I've also been watching Torchwood: Miracle Day with my family. Don't hit me. Just please… leave a review. I promise if you do, you'll get the next two chapters at the same time. (They're already written in my notebook. Just waiting—no—itching to be posted.)**

**-The Lonely King**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: The conversation between the Doctor and the Master is spoken in Gallifreyan. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 9**

* * *

><p>"Jack!" I roared, bursting into Torchwood 3. "Jack!"<p>

Martha was trailing close behind me. I don't know when I'd let her hand go, but my fear must have overridden my senses. Jack came running out of his office and we met on a ramp near the computers. He must have seen the panicked look on my face because he suddenly looked fearful.

"What's going on?" he demanded. "What happened?"

Fear was now constricting my throat and I struggled to breathe. The Doctor was drawing nearer and I could feel his mind pushing at mine, gauging my location. I shut him out, basically slamming the door in his face. When I looked up, I realized Martha was kneeling in front me. How had I ended up on the floor?

"It's him… the… the Doctor, he's here," I stammered. "Why is he here? You said I had six months…"

"I'm sorry," Jack said, pulling me to my feet and leading me into his office. "I'm so sorry… the General said he might come back earlier, but I have no idea why. Shit, I should have told you."

"Bastard…" I breathed. I meant it to no one in particular, but Jack looked hurt. I didn't care at the moment. The Doctor pushed against my mind again and the impact of it made me stumble. Jack helped me back up again, but it was no use. Memories of the Doctor begging me to stop, begging me to just think came flooding into the forefront of my mind. My vision was clouded as I felt someone pulling me along into Jack's office. Martha pushed me into a chair and placed her hands on my face, begging me to come back to reality; telling me that everything would be okay.

"Remember what we talked about," she implored. "Breathe… just breathe. Think of us. Think of me and Jack and Ianto… think of anything but—"

"I can feel him, Martha…" I whimpered, the pain of the Doctor's presence only getting worse. "He's so close… oh god… he's going to kill me."

"No," she interjected. "He's not going to kill you—he'd never. Just listen…"

The 'click' sound of Jack locking his office door brought me back suddenly, like a slap to the face. I focused on Martha's face—features I'd memorized over the past few months. I searched her eyes, her mouth; I felt her hands on my face. Her soft words of encouragement chased away the memories. I swallowed hard and she hugged me.

"It'll be okay…" she whispered. "Just stay quiet. If you don't want to see him, you don't have to."

I nodded and wrapped my arms around her, holding on for dear life.

* * *

><p>Jack Harkness locked his office door and turned just as the Doctor walked through the entrance of the Hub. He didn't bother asking how the Doctor had gotten in. He walked away from his office and sat down in a computer chair. The Doctor looked haggard… like he hadn't been taking care of himself. Jack wondered how long he'd been gone TARDIS time. His face was unshaven and his hair stuck up in different places—more so than usual. He clothes were dirty and torn. The Doctor looked tired and old, like he was sick of everything. Jack sighed quietly. The Doctor looked at his office, then back Jack, deciding to sit down across from him.<p>

"Jack," he said, leaning forward in his seat. Jack leaned back and tried to look casual. He crossed his arms over his chest.

"Doctor," he replied. "Why are you here?"

"You know why…" the Doctor looked up. The pain that was present on his face made Jack want to just hand the Master over and tell them to get over their problems, but he knew the situation was more fragile than that. "I need to see him, Jack. I need to tell him…"

"What makes you think he wants to see you at all, Doctor?" Jack asked. It wasn't a harsh question, just a question regarding the Master's current state of mentality at the moment. The Doctor took a deep breath.

"Nothing," he admitted. "I need to see him anyway… before it's too late. The longer I wait…"

"…the harsher the consequences will be," Jack finished, looking bewildered. The Doctor looked surprised as well, but Jack shook his head. They both understood that Jack had no idea what he'd just said or the significance behind it. He'd just said it. "In that case, I'm going to leave it up to him. This is between you and him, now. Both of you need to stop running." Jack stood and walked over to his office. He opened the door and collected Martha. The Doctor could see the Master sitting in a chair, clutching his head. His hearts thumped sadly. Martha fought Jack for a moment, but Jack whispered urgently in her ear and she stopped. They left the Hub.

* * *

><p>I sat in Jack's chair, fists clenched and hearts tightening dangerously. The Doctor was just outside the door, waiting to tell me exactly what I'd been thinking all this time. He'd stopped pushing at my mind; now he was just nudging, trying to get me to come out. I didn't want to come out. I wanted to curl up into a ball and hide from him forever. But then… Jack had said—and so had Martha—to stop running. I swallowed and took a deep breath, standing. I stood in front of the door for another few seconds before pushing it open.<p>

There, in front of me, stood the Doctor. He looked sick and raggedy and tired, but he was my Doctor all the same. I took another deep, shuddering breath and dragged my fingers through my hair. I addressed him in Old High Gallifreyan. Jack had left the recording system on and I didn't want him to hear anything.

"Doctor," I said, avoiding his eyes.

"Koschei," he replied, also in Gallifreyan. "It's ah… it's good to see you."

"Yeah," I smiled softly. "Would you like some coffee?"

"Uhm… no, actually, I—"

"Oh, come on," I said, gesturing for him to follow me to the lounge. "The best way to diffuse an awkward moment is with a cup of coffee. Ianto taught me how to make it perfect. He said if you just add the right amount of sugar and cream, coffee can taste like ice cream. I suppose he'd know—he basically does it for a living."

The Doctor followed silently behind me, hands in his pockets. I babbled on until we got to the Lounge. I told him all about my time at Torchwood while I fixed the coffee. I had to ask him for his Sonic Screwdriver because the espresso machine broke. He handed it to me without question and seemed surprised when I handed it back. I winked at him and went back to the coffee-making. I told him about Martha and how I could understand why he liked her so much. He raised a brow at me and crossed his arms over his chest. I shrugged and turned away, feeling my face warm. When the coffee was finished about ten minutes later, I handed him a mug.

"Give it a go," I said, sipping my own and relishing the warm feeling that filled my chest. "Tell me what you think." He gazed suspiciously at me and sipped his coffee. He smacked his lips a few times, probably checking for poison, and then took a few more heavy swallows. My eyes widened. "How long's it been since you last ate?" He shrugged.

"A few days, TARDIS time, why?" I tried not to become angry, but I did set my mug on the table with a pronounced 'thunk'. He looked up. "What?" I shook my head and turned to the refrigerator, pulling out a banana. His eyes lit up. Ahh… that's why Martha had laughed when I'd picked the banana smoothie at the café. He took it from me and began eating. When he finished, I told him to sit down at the table. I sat across from him. I felt like I was perfectly ready to hear what he had to say. He seemed to want to tell me, but he was fiddling with the banana peel. After about ten minutes, I grew impatient and decided to just ask him.

"Alright, Doctor," I said wearily. "Just tell me… did you create the Signal? And the Drums?"

He dropped the banana peel on the table, looking considerably shocked. My hearts pinged against each other as I realized that it _was _true. He nodded slowly. The feelings I'd expected to come didn't. In fact I felt… considerably empty. Could he be doing that? My mind was now completely open to him. When we were kids he would reach into my mind and steal away my emotions so I wouldn't have to deal with things… like took a very deep breath and rested his face in his hands.

"Yes, Koschei," he whispered. "How did you…?" I just shrugged.

"It seemed like the only logical reason for you to leave," I mumbled. "You can't stand seeing the things you create go wrong…" That sounded a little harsh, but it had to be said. I leaned forward and took his hands in mine. Fire immediately pushed through my fingers, but I ignored it. Now was not the time for old feelings. Besides, I loved Martha, didn't I? I didn't want to think about it. Thinking about Martha made my hearts Doctor however... whenever I thought about him, my whole body warmed and touching him only increased that fire. I wanted him, yes… but did I love him? Did he love me? Maybe this was why the Doctor had stolen my emotions. Now wasn't the time.

"The question is, Theta… why?" He looked up at me, surprised. I crossed my arms over my chest, eager to stop touching him and feeling bad about letting him go. "Why did you do it?"

"I… You have to understand, I didn't know," he said. "I didn't know until the last minute."

"Just tell me," I was slowly growing impatient because I wanted to know why. I needed to know. The Doctor looked down at the table and then back up at me.

"My mother was dying… and you were going mad," he began. "Your parents had been giving me money for her treatment, but once something goes wrong during regeneration there's nothing to be done. I should have known… but Rassilon said that he could find a way. He told me about you and how if I could find a way to help you, then he would find a way to help my mother. I didn't ask why he needed you, I just thought he cared. I was tired, Koschei. It was a month before my coronation and I was allowed to go home if I could create something that would help you. I suggested a signal that would always connect you to Gallifrey so you wouldn't lose your mind or forget who you were or where you came from, because sometimes you did."

I confirmed this information with a simple nod of my head. Theta hadn't been at the Academy during that month. He'd told me it was because his mother was sick, but he'd never told me she was dying. I'd found out about that later on, though I don't really remember how. I remember staying in my dorm room during that month… and that was all. God, my memory was full of holes. The Doctor continued speaking.

"So, I created the Signal," he said. "It was a small telepathically installed device that would be surgically implanted through your spinal cord. I hadn't thought to make it isomorphic, so anyone could control it. When I finished, though, Rassilon and his men stormed into my house… they stole the signal…and… and killed my mother. They said I had until after your coronation to leave Gallifrey. The General was the one who'd told me the plan for the signal because he'd assumed I knew. He told me that Rassilon was going to use the Signal to control you—that's all I knew. I didn't want him controlling you. You were mine—_My _responsibility, _my _friend, _my _Koschei. " The last part was so fiercely that I reached and took his hand from his head, which had been slowly pulling hair out. I held his hand, despite the feeling that rushed through my arm and muddled my head momentarily. He seemed to understand and calmed down, letting me go. "I ran from the General and all the way across the Citadel to find you, only to be stopped by a group of boys. They… they didn't survive. I was so angry; I literally tore them out of my way. I didn't realize that I'd killed them until after the General dragged me away from you. He had been the one to show me the old TARDIS in the junkyard after Rassilon came to steal my invention. I watched your coronation from afar… saw what you'd become and left."

My Doctor, the Oncoming Storm… Destroyer of Worlds… Murderer and Time Lord Victorious hung his head and cried silently. My hearts broke for what must have been the tenth time since he'd arrived and I stood, moving around the table and kneeling in front of him. I pulled his hands from his face and made him look at me. I wiped the tears away from his cheeks and said the only thing I could think of.

"I forgive you, Theta," I said and pulled his head down to kiss his forehead. He slid off the chair and pulled me into an embrace that made me want to cry. He hadn't hugged me for nearly 900 years and here we were, as if nothing had changed.

"Thank you, Koschei…" he sobbed into my shoulder. "I was so worried… I'm so sorry. I just…"

I patted his back and whispered words of encouragement to him as Martha had done for me. After about ten minutes, he calmed down. I moved to stand up, but he grabbed my arm and pulled me back down. It caused me to stumble awkwardly. I fell and he grabbed my other arm and pinned both of my wrists to floor, above my head. I stared up at him for a moment and he stared back looking confused; as if he didn't know what he was doing. My throat became dry as his expression became fierce, but not angry. Before I could do anything, his mouth crashed against mine in a hot and hungry kiss. I gasped and responded by returning the kiss gently. His mind brushed against mine, causing my hearts to go haywire. When he let go of my wrists, I grabbed him by the lapels of his jacket and flipped him over. His eyes widened in surprise.

"You…" I snarled. "If you ever leave me again, Theta, I swear I will tear this universe apart looking for you. Is that understood?"

"Yes…" he whispered. I let him go, causing him to fall back on the floor. As I stood up he said, "What's happened to us, Koschei?" He sounded amused and curious. I shook my head and shrugged.

"I don't know…" I admitted. "But whatever it is… I don't intend to fix it." I said the last part in English. He stood and followed me out of Torchwood. Jack and Martha were outside waiting.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: And that's it for chapter 9. One chapter and an epilogue left. So, who does the Master love? Will he choose to stay or go with the Doctor? The next chapter will be up within the next couple of hours. Just you wait. I stick by my promises.**

**Thank you so much, Good Apollo, TimeSpaceandMe, and Mabudachi-trio for your wonderful reviews! **

**Also, sorry for not updating for so long. My computer's been going all wonky for the last few days and I have testing to study for. **

**Leave a review and let me know what you think!**

**-The Lonely King**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Jack and Martha turned as the Doctor and the Master walked out of the Hub. They had been waiting there for nearly half an hour and were thinking about going back in to check on them. The Time Lords looked completely disheveled, but the Doctor looked much better. As they walked out, Martha and Jack shared furtive glances, wondering if they'd fought. Jack was a little more concerned about the state of the Hub. He knew that Time Lords were incredibly strong and the Doctor and the Master might have broken something important. The Master was laughing as the Doctor was telling him about a woman named Reinette. Jack crossed his arms over his chest and the two Time Lords looked equally apologetic.

"Did you two work things out, then?" Jack asked, sounding like a parent. He'd felt like one, he thought. The Doctor looked at the Master.

"Yeah," the Master replied, looking satisfied. "Turns out… things aren't always what they seem. Everything's going to be alright now." The Doctor cleared his throat and the Master looked annoyed. "I'm getting to it… Martha?"

"Yeah?" she smiled, looking up at him. He tilted his head.

"I love you, Martha Jones," he said, looking a little sad. Martha was torn between being happy and being heartbroken because she knew what it meant for him. The Master knew she loved the Doctor, but she'd come to think of him as an older. She crossed her arms and sighed.

"Okay…" she said warily. "I s'pose I love you too… but uh… not…"

"No, I get it," he said. "I really do, I just thought you should know." He stepped forward and hugged her. While he hugged her, he slipped something in her jacket pocket. She felt it and looked at him when he pulled away. He shook his head ever so slightly. "If you ever need me—ever—just call. I'll be there faster than you can blink." The Doctor gave a derisive snort and the Master shook his head at him. No doubt, the Doctor had been thinking about Weeping Angels.

"Wait… you're leaving?" Jack said. "You can't just—"

Jack was cut off when the Master suddenly walked over to him and kissed him right on the mouth. The Doctor's face was blank as he intervened, pulling the Master away before Jack's hands could get somewhere… dangerous. The Master laughed and said something jokingly in Gallifreyan. The Doctor growled something back and it only made the Master laugh harder. The Master moved back over to Martha and kissed her, too, gently this time. Jack watched as the Doctor's face slipped from blank to simply not amused. The Doctor shoved his hands in his pockets and his jaw muscles moved back and forth. Jack raised a brow at him but the Doctor simply glared at Martha. Martha returned the kiss but then pushed him away.

"Behave!" she snapped, grinning. "You aren't going to use me make him jealous!" She nodded toward the Doctor. Jack looked at the Doctor with a hilarious grin on his face. The Doctor however seemed suddenly interested in the stars that were starting to appear in the sky. The Master sighed and shoved his hands in his pockets. He looked between Jack and Martha, smiling fondly. Martha guessed the only memories that were in his head were memories of his time at Torchwood and she felt happy for him.

"Goodbye, Martha Jones," he said smirking. "And Captain Jack Harkness. Thank you for all of your help, but I think it's time for me to move on now." The humans nodded their understanding. Martha walked up to the Doctor and poked him in the chest.

"You had better take good care of him, Doctor," she threatened. Surprisingly, she wasn't joking when she said, "Or you'll be hearing from me."

"Alright, Martha," he chuckled. He pulled her into a hug then walked off toward the TARDIS around the corner. He waved his hand without looking back. "You'll be seeing us again soon, Martha Jones and Captain Jack Harkness. That's a promise!"

The Master watched him and then turned to give his favorite humans a few words of advice. His face went all serious. Martha and Jack sobered slightly.

"Now then, things are going to start changing on Earth very quickly," he explained quickly. "If anything happens—anything at all, just call me. The device I gave you has a direct connection to the TARDIS. The Doctor doesn't know, but he will. I love you both like you're my family and I expect you to call us home for…" the Master grimaced. "…the Doctor's favorite holiday. Oh… you know the one… it doesn't matter. Just… stay safe." He began to walk away and then stopped, turning one last time. "OH! And if you happen to talk to the General again, tell him I forgive him too!"

"Why?" Jack called. The Master smirked again.

"He'll know why!" he said. "Just tell him!"

Then he turned and ran off after the Doctor. Martha and Jack looked at each other, frustrated. Time Lords and their secrets. Martha reached into her pocket and laughed. It was a small Nokia mobile phone, decorated with banana stickers. Jack joined her and they returned to the Hub together.

* * *

><p>I walked into the TARDIS and shut the door, grinning. Things were changing for the better. It was a magnificent feeling. I was a little hurt that Martha didn't love me, but I understood. She loved the Doctor. She'd travelled across the world on her own for him and he still didn't see it… or he chose not to. I hadn't been lying when I'd told them I loved them like family, but they had no idea what their help meant to me. In Time Lord Society, going out of your way for someone else's well-being was an occurrence that only happened amongst family and loved-ones. That had been why everyone at the Academy assumed Theta and I were 'together'. We came from different families on opposite sides of the Citadel and we'd somehow managed to be together all the time. Martha and Jack… I would always remember them as the ones who helped me pull my life back together. My hearts warmed whenever I thought about them and the time I'd spent with them would always be enough to chase away the past. It was time to move on… but for now, I had a Doctor to deal with.<p>

I walked around the console, touching it lightly and enjoying the tickle in the back of my brain. The TARDIS was happy to have me again. The Doctor came from one of the hallways. He looked better and apparently he'd had a shower. His hair was wet and he was only wearing the trousers to his blue pinstripe suit. How long had I been standing at the entrance? I shrugged and greeted him with a smile. He frowned and walked toward me.

"That's all I get, Koschei?" he whined. "A smile?" I laughed nervously as he stepped closer to me, trying not to push him away. He moved close enough to me that our faces were only inches apart. My hearts pinged together again and I held my breath. I could feel his lips touching mine, but he didn't kiss me. His body radiated warmth and it spread to my face. I still didn't understand the difference between the love I felt for Martha and love I felt for the Doctor, but it was intense. I also hated that he was taller than me in this generation… it made me feel small. "Trade you a kiss for a lifetime of adventure…" I smiled.

"Deal," and I kissed him.

* * *

><p><strong>Epilogue:<strong>

**Two Years Later**

The Doctor and I had been traveling for nearly Ten Years TARDIS time. We travelled from planet to planet, saving people and doing other things he did with his companions. We got trapped on a moon, assaulted by some alien gypsies, and faced Death twice. Martha hadn't called to invite them back for…. Oh, what the hell was the name of his favorite holiday? Nevermind it. I was beginning to get worried. The Doctor was rushing around the console and I was checking my mobile every five minutes. He got frustrated when I didn't press the right button and sent me away. I walked off to the library, staring at the screen on my phone. Should I call her? I wondered… and wondered… and bloody wondered. The Doctor eventually came in apologizing, but at that very moment, the mobile rang.

"What's that?" he asked. "Is that a mobile? How is it ringing?"

"I… I gave Martha a mobile to call me with…" I mumbled, still not answering the device.

"You what?" the Doctor nearly shouted. "Do you have any idea what would happen if that phone got into the wrong hands?"

"What? No…" I said, answering the phone. "That doesn't even make sense. Martha would never let this phone get to anyone else—yes? Hello?"

-Hello. Who am I speaking to?-

"You're talking to… wait a minute, who is this?" I asked. "Martha, is this some kind of joke?"

-This is no joke, Time Lord- I looked at the Doctor and he stood next to me, listening in. –Listen. If you ever want to see Martha or that _freak _Jack Harkness again, you'll come back to Earth and hear what I have to say.-

"Who the hell are you?" I screamed into the phone. "Answer me right now or I swear I'll—"

-Now, now- the voice said. It was soft… male. –No threats. You're hardly in a position to argue. Just come back to Earth. I'll text you the address and time period where we should meet. I've always wanted to meet a Time Lord. Now, I might just meet two.- *click*

I threw the mobile at the wall opposite and screamed. "NO!" I turned to the Doctor and grabbed his shirt. "Take me to her! Take me to her now!" He looked incredulous.

"After all this time…" he said, a slow smile spreading across his face. "You care about them, don't you?" I pushed him against the wall.

"This is no time for games! Take me back to her!" He laughed and pried my hands from his shirt.

"Alright, alright," he said. "Just promise me one thing…"

"What?" I snapped, following him into the control room. He put his hand on the lever that would transport us back to Earth.

"Try not to kill anyone," he begged and pulled down the lever and the TARDIS was off.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: And that's it for Rehabilitation, folks! All finished. I was going to put this epilogue in another chapter, but I hate the number 11. Multiples of five only please! **

**Anyway, thanks so much for reading guys! Leave a review and let me know what you think! The next story I write (if I have the time) will be based off of this story, but with a bit of a WhoLock twist. ;) **

**Many thanks and love from,**

**The Lonely King. **


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